Sewing machine



March 28, 1950 s u 2,502,346

SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. GEORE SAUER ATTORNEY March 28, 1950 sA 2,502,346-

SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 1'7, 194s 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 i W 112 16 11 10646 a ad 9 4 1t Uh.

in NW Um, MN W ATTORNEY March 28, 1950 s u 2,502,346

SEWING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

GEORGE SAUER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 SEWING MACHINE G. SAUER IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL March 28, 1950 Filed Jan. 17, 1946 may M INVENTOR. GEORGE 5A UER BY 7a c.

G. SAUER March 28, 1950 SEWING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 17, 1946 INVENTOR. GEORGE SAuER 2%. C-

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ATTOBAZE'Y Patented Mar. 28, 1950 SEWING MACHINE George Sauer, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 17, 1946, Serial No. 641,681

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in lubricating systems for sewing machines and has reference more particularly to such lubricating systems in which the oil is constantly circulated.

The system of the present invention is especially useful in connection with high speed industrial sewing machines in which constant bathing of moving parts with lubricating oil is desir able or essential for efiicient performance.

Prior to the present invention, certain lubricating systems for sewing'machines have suffered from the disadvantage that the pump which circulates the oil would at times run dry of oil, with resulting damage to the mechanism. One of the aims of the present invention is to prevent the supply of oil to the circulating pump, also, referred to as the first pump, from becoming exhausted, thereby securing more dependable lubrication. A feature in this connection is that the rate of supply of. oil to the circulating pump is substantially independent of the speed of the machine and also of the length of the seam-forming operation. Y

A feature of the invention is that inorder to insure effective lubrication, oil is supplied to the lubricated parts at a rate in excess of that which is normally necessary. This oil passes out of the circulating system and passes by the lubricated surfaces, draining therefrom. An aim of the present invention is to provide means for returning this excess oil to the circulating system, thus preventing it from being permanently lost. This means may, for example, comprise a second pump. A special feature of this invention is that thetsupply of oil to the first or circulating pump ing pump transmits oil at a greater rate than is necessary for lubrication. A considerable part of the oil transmitted by this pump does not pass out of the circulating system to the lubricated parts, but continues in a closedcycle past ports 4 of ducts which lead to those parts, and is returned directly to the well which feeds the circulating pump. In this way, even if the circulating pump transmits oil at a greatly excessive rate, this well will not run dry because such excess oil is again 2 I immediately available in the well. Part of the oil transmitted by the circulating pump does pass through ducts to the lubricated parts. of this latter amount, a certain quantity is in excess of that actually needed for lubrication, and this excess passes by the bearing surfaces and is collected in a lower reservoir. From the lower reservoir it is periodically transmitted by the second pump to the upper reservoir, from which it is returned to the circulating system through the conduit leading to the well, by gravity.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from a detailed description of an illustrative form of the same, which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation with parts broken away, of an overeolge sewing machine embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a View of the same machine from the opposite side, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of a tubular connecting rod employed in the machine, a portion being broken away to show the construction more clearly.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view in longitudinal section showing the oil filtering unit.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in vertical section showing the construction of th second pump.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view show ing the first or'circulating pump construction.

Fig. '7 is an end elevation view of one of the eccentrics employed in the illustrative construction.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of such an eccentric, and

Fig. 9 is a view, partly in front elevation and partl in section, of the machine with a modified form of lower oil reservoir and filter means installed.

Fig. 10 is a detail View, chiefly in elevation and partl in section, showing a portion of the mechanism for actuating the work advancing means, as seen from the same direction as in Fig. 2.

For purposes of illustration, the invention has been shown applied to an overedge stitching machine of the general type disclosed in the Christensen and Zeier Patent No. 1,751,508, granted on March 25, 1930.

Reference is made to Figs. 1 and 2. Briefly described, the machine includes a base In mounted on a plate H, the plate being supported from a sewing table 12 by insulators or vibration ab- .tric 28.

ball stud 32 is a projection 38. .upper portion of the split strap 3|, which is car- .ried by the lower end of the connecting rod 35,

sorbers I3. Rising from the base is a standard M with spaced front and rear projections l5 and I6, respectively, and with inset bearing bushings l1 and 8 for a shaft [9 which is inclined somewhat to the horizontal, and to which, at the left hand or rear end, as shown in Fig. 2, is secured a combined hand and belt wheel so that the machine can be operated either manually or through a belt, driven by appropriate means. Confined to substantially vertical reciprocation in a bushing 22 set into a forwardly reaching projection 22 of the standard is a needle bar 23 which, at its lower end, carries a needle 24, the latter cooperating with a spreader 25 anda looper 26. ators or eccentrics, to be mentioned in detail below. Shaft H], by meansofthese eccentrics and suitable means, drives the spreader 25 and looper 26 and a work-advancing feed dog (not shown) attached to a feed dog shank 2'5.

is made to Patent 1,864,391, issued to Frederick -F. Zeier on June 21, 1932.

. Referenceis made to Figs. 2 and 10. Cooperating with an eccentric 23 on shaft I9 is an eccentric strap 29, to which is attached a tubular connecting rod 33 at one end of said rod. This rod is terminated at its other or lower end in a split strap 31. This strap forms a socket for a ball .stud 32 rigidl clamped to a slotted arm 33 which is pivoted on an axis through 34. The point on .arm 33 at which the ball stud is clamped is adjustable so as to vary the angle through which this arm oscillates for a given rotation of eccen- It will later be seen that this will determine the amplitude of the feed stroke and hence the length of the stitch. Rigidl attached to arm 33 by means of an upstanding member 33a is an arm 35. The member 33a may be integral with the member 33, and may comprise a rocker, adapted. to pivot about the axis through 34.

carried by a yoke 37a and .is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation therein. The-rotation of eccentric 28, by means of the linkages described,

causes rod 37 to reciprocate longitudinally and thereby imparts back and ,forth movements to this feed dog. The yoke 31a is pivotally mounted on the member 33a at an axis indicated at 3119, to permit a feed lift motion, to bedescribedat a later point. On the end of the aforementioned Screwed to an is a forked arm 33 which straddles this projection 38 and this prevents the socket of the split strap .31 from unduly wobbling on its ball stud. As

shown in Fig. 10, the relation of the rod 39 and its split strap 3i to the ball stud 32 is generally similar to that of the rod 4'? and the strap 48 to the ball stud 49, to be mentioned at a subsequent point.

The machine is provided with a trimmer 39a pivoted to a portion of the frame at 'itsleft-hand end, of the same general type as that disclosed in the above-mentioned Christensen and Zeier Patent 1,751,508.

The eccentric 40 mounted on shaft l9, co-

Mounted on shaft I9 are various rotary actucumferential slots therein (not shown).

operates with a strap 4| which is attached to a tubular connecting rod 42. This connecting rod terminates at its lower end in a split strap 43 which engages a ball stud (not shown) rigidly attached to the trimmer 39a, said ball stud having a projection 43a which is pivotally engaged by an arm 44 at one end of said arm. Thi arm, at its other end, pivotally engages a projection 370 on the yoke 31a which carries the rod 31, and thereby indirectly engages the rod 31 on which the feed dog shank 21 is mounted. In order to provide a differential feeding motion there may be carried by the yoke Sla another feed dog, not shown. The rotation of eccentric 40 imparts a feed lift, or up and down, motion indirectly to the feed dog carried-by the feed dog shank 21 by I lifting and lowering the yoke 3'Fa, and also imparts a feed lift motion in a more direct manner to the feed dog carried by this yoke itself. This last-mentioned feed dog will receive a back-andforthmovement as a result of the motion imparted to the yoke 31a by the rocking of the member 33a. The back-and-forth movementsof the feed dogs will not be the same, and there will consequently result a differential feeding motion. The advantages of a differential feeding motion are well-known and are pointed out in the abovementioned Zeier Patent 1,864 391.

Eccentric 45 cooperates with a strap 46 attached to a tubular connecting rod 41, terminating at its lower end in a split strap 48, which engages a ball stud 49. This ball stud is connected b a series of suitable linkages to spreader 25. As a result the rotation of eccentric 45 :drives spreader 25.

Eccentric 53 on shaft I9 cooperates 'with a strap 5i which is connected to one end of a tubular connecting rod 52. At the other end, this connecting rod terminates in a split strap (not shown) which engages a ball stud (also not shown) connected by a series of suitable linkages to looper 2.5. As a result, the rotation of eccentric 50 drives looper 26.

The details referred to' aboveform no part of the present invention, being included for the sake .of a more complete explanation as toan appropriatesetting for the'invention.

Turning now to provisions for lubrication, reference may be made again to Fi 1 and Fig.2. The lubricating system includes a lower oil reservoir orrreceptacle 53. As shown in Fig. 2, this This reservoir has a restricted neck (not shown) and is gripped at this neck by .a bottleclamp spring 54,:sad spring also engaging a circumferentiallyslotted cylindrical support -55in the region of cir- Support 55 in turn is permanently fastened to the table l 2. The spring is bowed in a substantially circular shape, its respective end portions overlapping and terminating in grips 56 and'5'i. The inherent spring action is such'as to tend to decrease the perimeter of the circle so formed,z't'hus causing the overlap of the end portions to be greater, and causing terminating grips 5E5 and.5'! to be separated by a greaterv distance. The tendency of 'the spring to contract results in its gripping the lower reservoir 53. The operator may squeeze grips 56 and 51 together, this movement be'ng in opposition to the inherent spring action of the spring, thereby enlarging the circular opening of the spring; allowing the lower reservoir 53 to be" read ily removed or attached.

Inside the .lower reservoir 53 is an oil'filter unit 58. An illustrativev embodiment: of suchzan. oil

filter unit is shown in Fig. 4. It includes a cylindrical outer cup 59, having a longitudinal axial bore 60. This bore is terminated at its upper end by end wall 6! of the cup, said wall having an opening 62 smaller than said bore, through which opening a tube 63 extends. The lower end of said cup 59 is tapped within said bore 69 to receive a threaded plug 64, which plug itself includes a longitudinal axial bore 65. Tube 63 begins at the lower end of plug 64, extends axially through the bore 65, the larger bore 60', and the opening 62, and upwardly beyond to a pump, as will be hereinafterdescribed.

Plug 64 has a tapped radial opening into which a setscrew 66 is screwed for the purpose of clamping the cup assembly in position on the tube 63. Inserted in the lower end of tube 63 is a plug 81 to seal the end of this tube against passage of oil therethrough, and also to prevent said tube from collapsing under the pressure of said clamp screw.

A cylindrical filter 6B of screen or other suitable filter material is inserted between tube 53 and cup 59, in the bore 69, said filter material fitting snugly against the inner surface of said bore 60 and extending axially from the upper end of plug 64 to the end wall 6| of the cup. A coil spring 69 is inserted between filter material 68 and the tube 63 in order to hold said filter material in position snugly against the inner surface .of cup 59.

Cup 59 has at least one, and preferably several, radial ports lll'l0, which register with some portion of the filter material. Similarly, tube 63 has at least one, and preferably several, ports H which open into bore 69 at some point above the plug 64. It will later be seen that a pump periodically creates a partial vacuum within tube 63, and it can be seen that oil from lower reservoir 53 will then be drawn in through ports Ill, through filter material 68, into bore 60 and through ports H into tube 63, and upwardly through said tube, being filtered in the process, asdesired.

1 Tube 63 extends upwardly from the aforesaid oil filter, and through this tube oil is drawn by a second pump, mentioned generally heretofore, as .12 in Fig. 1. This pump is actuated by appropriate linkages operated manually, or otherwise by the operator. In the illustrated embodiment, the piston I3 of the pump is actuated by the longitudinal reciprocation of a piston rod 14. This rod passes through an opening 15 in wall 15a, which extends part way across the base. Said rod 14 is connected by a link 16 to an arm 11, said arm being rigidly attached to and preferably integral with a rock shaft 78. Shaft 18 is journalled in a cover plate i9 forming part of the standard [4. Extending radially from shaft 18 is another arm 80 which is clamped to said shaft 18 by a split sleeve BI and a clamp screw 82.

As shown in Fig. 1, shaft 18 is urged in a counterclockwise direction by spring means 83, one end of which spring means is attached to the cover plate 19 for the standard l4 and the other end of which engages arm 80 and is bent around the same, as shown. The free end of arm 80 is attached to one end of a chain 84 connected at its opposite end to a treadle (not shown). The machine may be conveniently arranged so that the same treadle which actuates arm 80 through chain 84 also actuates a presser foot lift lever 85 through a chain 86. Since the operator operatesthe treadle in order to raise the presser 'Ioot'inthe-normal course of each seam-forming operation, and since arm is actuated by the same treadle, the piston 13 of the pump 12 will be reciprocated by such action, combined with the restoring action of the spring '83 upon the formation of each seam. In lieu of connecting the arm 80 with the presser foot lifting treadle, it may be connected with a treadle which controls the clutch of the conventional electric transmitter used for driving the machine. This treadle, also, is operated upon each seaming operation. It is of course possible to operate the treadle for the primary purpose of operating the pump 12, and as will later be explained, this will preferably be done prior to starting the machine. This may be done even if the arm 80 is connected with the clutch control treadle, by having more play in the connections to the clutch than to the arm or by operating the treadle for this purpose before the motor is started.

Details of the lift pump are shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 5. The reciprocating action of rod 14', just described, causes piston 13 to reciprocate in a cylinder 86a. Said cylinder is, as shown, fitted into a wall 86b of the standard I4. Tube 63 is connected, as shown, with one end of a bore 81 within the aforementioned wall of standard 14, said bore 8'! communicating at its other end with the interior of cylinder 86a. During the suction strokes of the piston 13, oil is drawn up through tube 63, past an intake check valve 88 within said bore, said oil being drawn into cylinder 86a; and during the pressure strokes of said piston 13, the oil is forced through a port 89 at the end of the cylinder, past a discharge check valve 90 and upwards through a tube 9|. In

Fig. 1 the wall of this tube is partly broken away to show its longitudinal structure.

Reference is again made to Figs. 1 and 2. Extending upwardly from the pump, tube 9| connects with an upper oil reservoir 92 through a port 93. The upper reservoir is, in the embodiment shown, formed as an integral part of a cover 94 at the top of the frame. As an initial condition to operation of the system, this upper reservoir should be supplied with oil by the operator, by operation of the pump means, as described. A portion of the tube 9| may be of transparent plastic, so that the operator can observe the flow of oil through the tube into the upper reservoir, thus being assured that the pump is operating satisfactorily. A transparent L-shaped fitting may be provided for this purpose at the upper end of the tube 9!. A sight gauge, not shown, may be provided on the side of the upper reservoir so that the operator can observe the height to which this reservoir is filled with oil.

Reference is again made to Fig. 2 and Fig. 6. Extending from the bottom of the reservoir 92 within the standard [4 is a gravity flow tube or duct 94a which connects with a vertical bore or well 95 in the partition 96, said well 95 being in line with a port 91 in the top of the bearing 18. In the plane of the port 91 the shaft I9 is provided with a groove 99 which extends most of the way but not-completely around the shaft within the confines of the bearing l8, and which, it will be noted, is of uniform width and depth throughout its length. At one end, the groove 99 communicates, by way of a radial port I99, with an axial bore or duct l0! in the shaft 1 9. As shown in Fig. 2, the duct IUI is closed at its front end by a screw plug I02 which is accessible upon removal of a front cover I03. From the duct IOI oil is conducted, by way ofone or more radial ray-502.3

ducts I Min the-shaft. L9. at; each of eccentrics .28, 48, 14,5 andw, re p ctiv ly, to ,a.,..cir c=umf rential, groove I95 internally of each eccentric, and from said groove by way of one or more connecting radial ducts :I 116 in each eccentric to thebearing surface ofsaid eccentrics, the first mentioned ducts I04 containing flow-restricting filter packing as conventionally indicated in Fig. 2..

Figs. rands show details of an eccentricor rotary actuator. Bores Iflfia provide dynamic balancing.

:Fig. 3 shows a tubularconnecting rod-in longitudinal section. Each rod is provided with a longitudinal duct 13?. Periodically during the rotation of shaft I9, as shown in Fig. 2, radial ducts I 06 register with longitudinal ducts ID? of such tubular connecting rods, and oil thus passes down such rods, thereby being transmitted to-bearing surfaces at the oppositeend of ducts II); which require'lubrication, such as the ball studs and sockets mentioned previously. In each; connectin rod, there-is a vent I08, sloping upwardly, connecting the axial duct with the exterior of the connecting rod. Since air can enter this vent, oil in the axial dust is preventedfrom becoming air-locked.

Within the confines of the bearing [1, the shaft I9 has a radial port I69 which extends from the duct IM and communicates with a circumferential groove bearing. Leading upwardly in the. bearing I! from the groove I I is a port III which registers with a vertical bore I I2 in a rear wall Iltof the standardM. At the region of itsoverlap upon the wall H3, the cover 94 is recessed asat Hi to form in conjunction with anv interposed plate II5, a channel or pocket which communicates by way of a port H6 in saidplate with the top of the bore in said wall. Extending up-fromthe channel H4 is a tube III. Part of the wall of this tube'is shown broken away in Fig. 2 to show its-construction. This tube connects, as shown, with the well 95 through a small cylinder 95a which forms an upward extension of the. well. Thecylinder 95a may beof transparent plastic so that the how of oil can be observed therethrough. It ispreferably provided atitsupper end with an oil cup .II8 to permitvv the introduction of oil from a can whenever desired.

During each rotation ofthe shaft I9, which is in the direction. of the arrow in Fig. 6, a. quantity of oil gravitates from the reservoir by way of the connection 94a, the well,95 and the port 91in the bearing I8, into the interruptedgroove 99- in said shaft while the groove is in registry with said port. As the shaft I9 continues in itsrotation, the charge of oil whichois .thus trapped, due to its inertia, cannot follow the rapid movementof the shaft, and part of it is accordingly. forced from'the. groove! through the port I00 intothe shaft duct IBI. Groove,9 9 is constantly supplied with. oil throughthe port 97 and this is continuously fed. into the shaft ductv IIJI and aided by gravitation, due to the downward slope of the shaft, it is constantly advanced leftward in Fig. 2. The quantity over and above that required to keepthe packing .in the radial ducts moist is forced upwardly through the port III in the bearing H, the duct IIZ, port IIB, channel II and tube III, andfinally is discharged from the top end of the. latter into well 95. v

For the sake. of distinguishing between the pumps, the pump, illustrated in Fig.5 is, as men- II!) internally of said tinned. calledithe;seccInd=.p11mD;:.and the cum-c formed .byeroov 93 i shaft l9 iscalled-theifirst or, circulatin pump'.

A certain amount of oil will escape pastthe bearing surfaces of the eccentrics, as well as pa t he. piston 1 f the se on p mp ndwi drip from other moving parts, and provision .is madefor catchin this oil on a drainage surface .9 of the base I'll.v Oil drains from this and other surfaces internal of the ,standard into a sump I2D.through afilter I2I (see Fig.6) which extends across said pump, through appropriate connections with tube, I22, and down said tube into the lower reservoir 53. Oil which drains into the lower receptacle ,is not lost to .the circulating system, since it will be pumped into the upper reservoir by the action of the second pump l2 whenever such pump is actuated. Since, as stated,lthe second pump isacuated by the operator in ,thenorr'nal'course of sewing a garment whenever she actuates the presser foot lift lever or shifts the transmitter clutch by means of one of the treadlesoil from the lower reservoir 53 is pumped into the upper reservoir 92 periodically during normal operation of the machine, being filtered .inthe process. Accord.- ingly, oil replenishment is necessary only at very protracted periods.

It is an important feature of the invention that oil passing through the circulating pum in excess of the amount passing through ports I0 4 is returned directly to the upper well. In order to assure a supply of oil through duct IIJI adequate for lubrication, the circulating pump is designed to transmit oil at a rate always in excess of that required for such lubrication. It is to be observed that tube 940. will present a certain amount of resistance to-the replenishment of oil in well 95 from reservoir 92, which reservoir has a considerable capacity. In practice it has been found that even whentube iaiismade ofmaximum diameter it cannot keep the well 95 supplied with lubricant throughout the. formation of a long seam, particularly at high.,speed. The present invention. however, makes certain that even if the machine operates at high speed, and the circulating pump transmits oil at .a-high rate, there is no danger of well 95 running .dry of oil. This, is because, .in the present system, the flow of oil through-tube SAaunder the force of gravity is not relied .upon as .part of the closed circular ,tion cycle; on the contrary,, when the circulating pump is transmitting .oil at a hi h rate, well 95 relies for replenishment of oil primarily upon the flow of oil through tube I I1, which represents, the excess oil, pumped under pressure through duct IOI.

Itis to be observed that the lower reservoir .53 and the second pump are not part of the cycle which constantly circulates oil. The purpose of the second pump is merely to ,returnto the circulating system, through the upper reservoir, oil Whichhas drainedpast the lubricated parts. Ac,- cordingly, the supply of oil to the circulating pump is substantially independent ofthe action of the second pump.

Fig. 9 shows a modified embodiment of the lower oil reservoir or receptacle and associated filter means shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The embodiment of the reservoir and filter means shown in Fig. 9 will later be described in specific terms but it may be generally described as being in the approximate form of a vertical cylinder divided transversely .into up er and lower part-cylinders 9 b l s ,e ch u b h n a ircumferentialsid'e wall and an-end wall integral therewith which closes said bulb at one end, the bulbs being fitted one to the other at their other ends by means of a circumferential lip on the side wall of the lower bulb which fits over the side wall of the upper bulb, the interior volumes of the upper and lower bulbs being separated one from the other by a transverse disc-like filter means engaged and supported around its periphery by the side walls of the bulbs in the region where they are fitted together, each bulb being provided in its interior with. a generally axial post or column integral with the end wall thereof, the two posts providing additional support for the filter means and being associated with means for providing support for the lower bulb and means for drawing oil from the interior of said lower bulb.

In-more specific terms, the oil reservoir and filter means shown in Fig. 9 may be described as follows:

The reservoir comprises upper and lower transparent plastic bulbs, I23 and I24, respectively, each-in the general shape of a cup, or a partcylinder, the axes of the bulbs being generally vertical and in alignment.

The upper bulb I 23 is open at its lower end, and the lower bulb I24 is open at its upper end. The upper bulb I23 has a circumferential side wall I25 and an upper-end wall I 26 integral therewith.

Similarly, the lower bulb I24 has a circumferen- 1 tial side wall I21 and 'a lower end wall I28 integral with said side wall I21. The side wall I21 of the lower bulb has, throughout most of its longitudinal extent, approximately the same diameter as has the side wall of the upper bulb, being-in vertical alignment therewith, but said side wall I2I'of the lower bulb is provided in the region of its upper edge with a circumferential shoulder I29 and a circumferential lip I30 supported thereon of diameter slightly larger than that of the upper bulb and major portion of the lower bulb, saidlip fitting snugly on the outside of wall I25 at the lower edge of said wall.

A disc-like filter I3I comprising an upper layer I32 and a lowerlayer I33 of filter screen material and an interlayer I34 of filter felt interposed therebetween, generally horizontally disposed, is supported under its outer edge by shoulder I 29 and it fits at its periphery against lip I-30. When the reservoir is in use, the lip of the 5 lower bulb is fitted over the lower edge of side wall I25 of the upper bulb, which edge is then in contact with the upper surface of filter I3I around the outer edge of said filter.

Integrally attached to the upper inside surface of end wall I28 of the lower bulb I24 is a generally axial cylindrical central post or column I 35 extending longitudinally inside said bulb, terminating in the plane of the shoulder I29, contacting the lower surface of the filter I3I, and providing additional support therefor.

Similarly integrally attached to the lower inside surface of end wall I26 of the upper bulb I23 is a generally axial cylindrical central post or column I36 extending longitudinally inside said bulb, terminating at the plane in which the lower edge of wall I 25-lies, and contacting the upper surface of the filter I3I. Posts I35 and I36 may conveniently be of approximately the same diameter, and may be generally in vertical align ment. A bore I31 extends from the lower surface of end wall I28, upwardly through this wall, lengthwise through the post I35, through the filter I 3I, and lengthwise into post I35. A thumb screw I38 comprising a head I39, a shaft I40 inupper end to receive the threaded shaft I40 of thumb screw I38. Wall I28 is provided with a shoulder I42 on its lower surface around the opening of bore I31. When thumb screw I38 is tightened manually, flange I4I engages shoulder I42 and thereby presses the lower bulb upwardly into closer engagement with the upper bulb, and thus causes the filter I3I to be snugly gripped both toward the center between posts I35 and I36 and toward its outer edge between shoulder I29 and the lower edge of wall I 25.

It can thus be seen that the filter divides the interior of the reservoir into two sections or receptacles, an upper receptacle I43, and a lower receptacle I44. The upper end wall I26 of the upper bulb is reinforced by being made thicker in one region I 26a, and the drainage tube I22 previously mentioned earlier in this application communicates with receptacle I 43 through this region. It is recalled that this drainage tube I22 mentioned. in connection with the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, delivers drainage oil from drainage surfaces within the machine,

Post I35 is provided with a generally axial, horizontal bore I45 extending from receptacle I44 into said post, terminating before reaching bore I31. Wall I26 and post I36 are provided with a reinforced region I36a generally above bore I45, and said wall and said post are provided with a bore I 46 extending from the upper surface of said wall downwardly, said bore I46 being tapped to receive a threaded connection I41. Extending from the lower end of bore I 46 lengthwise downwardly through post I36, through filter I3I, into post I35 and communicating with bore I45 is a bore I48. Leading upwardly from connection I4! is the tube 63 mentioned earlier in this application, which communicates with the pump 12, not shown in this figure. This tube and this pump were mentioned in connection with the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When the reservoir and filter means above described are used in actual operation, oil drain ing from moving parts of the machine drains through tube I22 into the upper receptacle I43. Oil from this receptacle drains by gravity through the filter into the lower receptacle I44, being filtered in the process. By the pumping action of pump 12, oil is drawn from the lower receptacle through bore I45, upwardly through bore I48, and through tube 63 to the pump "I2. The pump when it is operating, lowers the pressure in the lower receptacle I44 as compared with the pressure in the upper receptacle M3, and the drainage of oil from the upper receptacle into the lower receptacle is aided by this pressure difference. 6

While illustrative forms of the invention have 7 been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. The terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation.

I claim:

1. In a sewing machine having bearings, a lubricating system, said system comprising a plurality of separate, intercommunicating upper oil reservoirs, a first rotary oil-transmitting pump beneath a first of said reservoirs, means coniprisi'ng a port at the bottom" of said first reserv'oi-r opening directly into said pump for deliveri'n'g oil from said first reservoir to said pump,

' means for leading'directly' tosaid ilrst'reservoir part of the oil transmitted by said pump, means for'd'elivering to said'bearin'gs another part'oi the oil transmitted by said pump, and means for returning to at least one of said upper'reservoirs *oil draining from said bearings, said last-roentioned means including an intermittently-acting piston type pump.

2.1m a sewing machine having bearings, a lubricating system, said system comprising an upper "oil reservoir, an oil-holding well extending alongside said reservoir but separate thereirom, a gravity conduit connecting an outlet point in the lower portion *ofsaid reservoir to a first inlet pointof said well, a continuously-acting, rotary, oil-transmitting pump immediately beneath said Well, means comprising a port at the bottom of said well opening" directly intosaid pu rhp and forming an intake therefor, "an outlet conduit leading" from said puni'p; ducts tranch ing from said "conduit for delivering oil to said bearings, "a conduit out of direct communication with saidreservoir leading from said outlet conduit at a point beyond saidd'uct's to 'a second inlet point of said well above the surface of oil in said Well for returning directly to said we'll excess oil-transmitted by said pump, a'lower oil reservoir at an elevation below said bearings for collecting oil draining from said bearings, and an intermittently-acting pump responsive to some intermittent sewing operation for delivering oil from said lower reservoir to said upper reservoir.

3. In a sewing machine having bearings, a lubricating'system, said system comprising means forming a first loop-like lubricant path including a pump adapted to circulate oil continuously around said path whi-lesaid machine is operat ing, and means including a portion of said first lubricant path forming a second loop-like lubricant -path,-said second lubricant path including, in addition to said portion common with said first lubricant path, an upper oil reservoir, a gravity conduit from said reservoir to a point of said first lubricant path near the entrance to said pump, means for conducting-oil to said bearings from apoint of said first-path subsequent to said pump, a lower oil reservoir .for collecting drainage oil, and an intermittently-acting pump for returning-drainage oil from said lower reservoir to said upper reservoir.

4. In a sewing machine having bearings, a

- upper oil reservoir out of series with-said looplike path lying above said pump and below the uppermost porti'onof said loop-like path, .a con duit leading from saidupper reservoir to a point of said loop-like lubricant 'path nearthe entrance to said continuously-actingpump,'and an intermittently-acting pump responsive to an intermit tent sewing operation adopted to deliver 'oilirom said lower storage reservoir to said upper reservoir.

5; In a sewing machine having a frame, a retary shaft, and at least-one actuatorimountedon ,4 said shaft, said actuator'lhavin'g bearing surfaces,

a lubricating system, said system" comprisingran oilres'ervoir, an oil-holding well in :said frame separate from said reservoir, a conduit leading from an outlet pointin the lower portion of said reservoir to" a first inlet point-'of said well, a con tinuo'usly acting, rotary, oil-transmitting pump; an intake duct for said pump communicating witha point in the lower portion of said well, an outlet duct for said pump 'comprising' a bore ex tending longitudinally of said shaft, branch ducts leading from said bore to said bearing surfaces of said actuator, and a return conduit leading from a'point 'of said bore =beyond said branch ductsdi'rectly'to a second in-let point or said Well, whereby excess oil transmitted "by said pump is returned directly to said well.

GEORGE SHEER.

REFERENCES @If-EEB The following references are (if record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,093,253 Elster e vApr. 14, 1914 1,221,254 1917 1,888,799 1932 2,007,615 1935 2,156,547 1939 2,237,273 Hacklander 'et al. Apr. 1, .1941 2,280,198 Peterson Apr. 21, 1 942 2,299,439 Townsend et a1. -0'ct. 20, 194.2 

